Multiple chill mold device



Mag'eh .17, 1970 T. E. c. FRANssoN MULTIPLE CHILL MOLD DEVICE Filed may 18, 1967 l 2 sheets-.sheet 1 FIG'.

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March ,17, 11910 T. E. c. FRANssoN 3,501,125

` l MULTIPLE CHILL MOLD DEVICE v Filed may 1a, 19e? 2 sheets-sheet 2 I //O I /S 3a (38 3'7 les g4' .B3 Z 44 FIG. 3 //0 9 43 l Ill I I I I I fg 40 l I All /6 42 I I I FIG. 4 ,6. l 1I 'Z0 INVENTOR. 4.5" 47 70m/VY fR/C CMQRLES FRA/VSSN ATTQRNEY:

U.S. Cl. 249-106 United States Patent 3,501,125 MULTIPLE 'CHILL MOLD DEVICE Torgny Eric Charles Franssen, Karlskoga, Sweden, as-

signor to Aktiebolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a Swedish corporation Filed May 18, 1967, Ser. No. 639,552 'Claims priority, application Sweden, May 27, 1966, 7,364/66 Int. Cl. B22d 7/06, 29/00 1 Claim ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE gate and can be detached as a unit from the device by turning the same upside down and applying a sharp impact to a burr part protruding from the pouring7 tube.

The present invention relates to a multiple chill mold device for simultaneously casting several ingots according to the so-called bottom casting process.

It is known to provide in multiple chill mold devices of the general kind above referred to a plurality of channels or grooves which extend radially from a center bore through its base plate. The channels or grooves are usually lined with refractory liners such as lire-clay bricks which are open at the outer end and also communicate with the center bore. A pouring gate is placed above the central bore of the plate in communication therewith and a chill mold is placed above the open outer end of each brick. Ingots are cast by pouring molten metal into a feed duct for the pouring gate so that each mold is being lled with the molten metal. When the metal in each mold has hardened each mold is lifted separately from the base plate by suitable hoist means. Thereupon the mold with the ingot therein is struck against some suitable hard surface until the ingot is loosened in the mold.

Such knocking of the molds upon completion of each casting operation severely limits the useful life of the molds. Moreover, the molten metal when the same is poured into the mold cavities, causes not infrequently, damage to the bottom of the mold in which case the mold must be refinished prior to a subsequent casting operation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved multiple chill mold device which does not require the above described rough handling of the molds to remove the ingots therefrom thereby considerably prolonging the useful life of the device and the molds of which are also less likely to suifer damage at the bottom thus simplifying servicing of the device.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved multiple chill mold device of the general kind above referred to which permits a convenient and rapid removal of all burrs formed in the feed channels or ducts of the device.

The above pointed-out objects, features and advantages ice of the invention and other objects, features and advantages which will be pointed out hereinafter, are obtained by providing a multiple chill mold device comprising a plurality of chill molds open at one end and closed at the other end by a bottom wall having a feed hole therethrough and a base plate having a center bore therethrough and in one of its sides a plurality of grooves, one for each chill mold, radially extending from the center bore in communication therewith. The chill molds are secured at their closed end to the other side of the plate in circumferential arrangement about the center hole of the plate in upright position with the bore hole of each mold in communication with the outer end of the respective groove. The metal from which the ingots are to be formed in poured through a generally tubular tube or gate which is secured on one end to the mold carrying side of the plate centrically with the hole therein and thus in communication therewith. The open upper side of each chill mold is closed by a so-called hot top which may be held in position by a counterweight and the upper end of the pouring tube is extended by a removable tube part. The holes in the plate and through the bottom of the molds and also the grooves are preferably lined with heat refractory material, for instance, with hollow so-called fire-clay bricks which are cemented to the adjacent walls of the plate and the mold. The entire device is placed upon a suitable flat surface such as a plane metal surface, or also directly upon the floor of a foundry to secure the liners safely in position.

As is evident, molten metal poured into the pouring tube from the top end thereof will fill all the mold cavities and also the grooves in the plate, the holes in the plate and in the chill molds and also the pouring tube itself.

When the metal has sufficiently hardened, the hot tops are removed thereby exposing the top portion of the ingots. The ingots are now jerked loose in the molds and also broken free of the metal in the mold holes.

The entire mold device is now lifted and turned upside down, for instance, by means ofvbrackets on the base plate and a suitable crane. As a result, the loosened ingots fall down and the upper loose part of the pouring tube also falls down. The part of the hardened metal now protruding from the pouring tube is then bounced hard against a suitable surface. As is evident, the metal remaining in the mold device after removal of the ingots therefrom is a structure in the form of a bar having a thickness corresponding to the inner diameter of the pouring tube, and at one end several radially extending arms each defined by one of the grooves in the plate. At the end of each arm there is a short transverse extension caused by the bore holes in the molds. This entire structure is now dislodged from the molten device by the afore-mentioned hard impact upon the protruding metal portion and the pouring hole. The liners, usually in more or less damaged condition, will adhere to the structure when the same is removed from the mold device.

To ready the mold device for a new casting operation, it is merely necessary to reline the same with refractory material and to place it right-side up upon its support.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of an assembled multiple mold device according to the invention ready for casting;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view of the lower part of the device on an enlarged scale; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device after completion of the casting operation and in an upside down position for removal of the finished ingots.

Referring now to the figures in detail, the exemplified `multiple chill mold device comprises a base plate 1 with a center bore 2 and a plurality of bores in circumferential arrangement about the center bore, two holes 3 and 4 being shown. The lower part of center hole 2 is widened at 5 and grooves or channels 6 to 9 in the bottom side of plate 1 extend radially from center hole portion 5. The outer end of each groove issues into one of the outer plate holes 3, 4 The opposite or upper side of the plate mounts a pouring gate in the form of a tube composed of a lower section and an upper section 11. The lower section 10 is suitably secured to plate 1, for instance, by screws (not shown) extending through the plate from the bottom side thereof. The upper section 11 is readily removable from the lower part. The tube sections define pouring ducts 12 and 13, the upper duct 13 being preferably funnel-shaped and the lower part communicating via the central plate hole 2, 5 with grooves 6 to 9 and outer plate holes 3, 4.

The bottom end of tube part 10 is widened to form a flange 14 having a vertical peripheral rim. This rim constitutes a locating surface for base portions 21 and 22 of a plurality of chill -molds to 20 disposed on plate 1 about tube 10, 11 in circumferential arrangement. Each mold is open at its top end and closed at its other end by a bottom wall including bore holes 2S and 25a communicating with plate holes 3 and 4. The chill molds are suitably secured to plate 1 for instance, by screw bolts 23 and 24. The upper ends of the molds are closed by hot tops 26 to 31 which may be held in position by counterweights (not shown).

Bottom hole and 25a of each mold is lined with a suitable liner made of heat refractory material such as a hollow fire-clay brick. A brick 32 is shown for mold hole 25. The lower end of the brick connects with a brick 33 placed in one of the grooves in plate 1. As can best be seen in FIG. 3, one end of brick 33 is closed and the other communicates with a hollow brick 34 which, in turn, communicates with bricks 35 and 36. Brick 36 has an opening which is located in alignment with center bore 2 in plate 1 and more specifically, with the opening of a refractory liner 37 inserted in tube portion 10. All the bricks are suitably cemented in the grooves and the holes respectively. Mortar or cement for securing liner 37 is indicated at 38. The channels through the bricks may have any cross-section. A circular cross-section has been found to be particularly suitable. l

Two brackets 39 and 40 are secured to plate 1, preferably at diametrically opposite edges thereof. The brackets mount trunnions 41 and 42 respectively. A double hook 43 and 44 of a suitable crane or hoist may engage the trunnions for lifting and turning the entire device upside down for a purpose which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The entire device is placed upon a support 43a which may be a second base plate or part of the floor.

The operating cycle of the multiple chill mold device as herebefore described is as follows:

Assuming the device is set up as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an adequate quantity of molten metal such as steel is then poured into the pouring gate or tube 10, 11. The metal will fill the mold cavities flowing into the same through ducts 13 and 12, hole 2, 5, grooves 6 to 9, holes 3 and 4, and mold holes 25 and 25a. The ducts,

holes and grooves are also filled with metal the quantity of which should be such that the upper level of the metal is close to the rim of tube section 11, or at least substantially above the level of lower tube part 10. After the metal in the device is sufficiently hardened or chilled, the hot tops 26 to 31 are removed thereby exposing the metal filling the cavities in the hot tops.

The exposed upper parts of the ingots formed in the molds are now gripped by a suitable gripping device and jerked loose from the molds proper and also broken free of the metal in the mold holes 25 and 25a.

After all the ingots are loose, a suitable hoist or crane is applied to trunnions l41 and 42 on brackets 39 and 40 and the entire device is lifted from its base 43a to a level such that the device can be turned upside down, that is, turned through an angle of as is shown in FIG. 4. The loosened ingots designated 4S to 50 inclusive, in FIG. 4 will now fall out of the device as is also indicated in FIG. 4. The upper section 11 will also fall off thereby exposing the metal in tube duct 13.

The device is now dropped or otherwise caused to strike with a hard impact, a suitable surface such as support 43a. As a result, the metal bar formed in duct 13, 12 is pushed up and with it the spider-like structure formed by the metal in grooves 6 to 9 and the remainders of metal previously formed in holes 3, 4 and 2S, 25a are forced loose and on reinversion of the device will fall out of the device which is thus free of metal. In other words, all the unwanted metal left in the device can be easily removed therefrom in one piece. The liners will also fall out, often in more or less broken condition.

The cavities, the holes and the grooves of the mold are then cleaned and thereupon relined.

The entire device is now ready for a new casting operation.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

1. A multiple chill mold device for simultaneously casting a plurality of ingots, said device comprising in combination:

a plurality of molds each provided with a cavity having a substantially conical volume with the largest diameter at its upper end and each open at its upper end and closed at its lower end by a bottom wall having a feed hole which communicates in flow series with its related cavity therethrough;

a base plate having a center bore therethrough and on which the bottom walls are lixedly secured to arrange the lmolds circumferentially about the center bore, the base plate further provided with a mold hole for each mold communicating in ow series with the feed hole of that mold, the base plate in its side remote from the molds provided with a stepped opening communicating in flow series with the center bore and one radially extending groove for each mold communicating in flow series between the stepped opening and the feed hole of that mold;

a pouring tube xedly secured to the base plate on the same side as the molds and axially arranged about the center bore to deliver molten metal thereto;

a top removably placed upon the upper end of each of the molds, each top enclosing a portion of the cavity of its mold whereby the upper part of a hardened ingot can be exposed upon removal of' said top so that said ingot can be jerked loose and free from metal in its mold hole;

5 6 the pouring tube comprising a lower section and an References Cited upper section, which upper section projects above UNITED STATES PATENTS the molds and is removably connected to the lower section, whereby the upper section is removable to llg 9/91 Hoyle et al 249 109 X expose hardened metal which thereby can be imi 6921076 llgs ltitsle-r Egli-6611 pacted to remove hardened metal from the pouring tube, the stepped opening, the radially extending FOREIGN PATENTS grooves and the feed holes substantially all together; 510,845 8/1939 Gret Britain.

means for turning the multiple chill mold device upside down as aunit; 10 ROBERT D. BALDWIN, Primary Examiner the pouring tube, the stepped opening, the radial eX- Us. Cl XR tending grooves and the feed holes all provided with refractory linings. 164131; 249-109, 110, 137, 139, 174 

